This invention relates generally to the field of fluid dynamics with emphasis on aerodynamic drag phenomena. A particular object of the invention is to reduce energy losses suffered by an aircraft in flight due to induced drag. It is known that this particular type of drag is accompanied by a shedding of vortices from the tips of the wings.
The present inventor discussed the details of drag issues surrounding wing tips in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,867 to Houck II. In that patent it was explained that these vortices result from a span-wise flow of air from a relatively high pressure condition on the lower wing surface to a relatively low pressure condition on the upper wing surface and that the prior art attempted to numerous techniques for dealing with induced drag, but none are fully satisfactory.
While inventor accomplished some significant results in reducing drag losses of lifting foils, continual improvement in field is critical given the increased commercial and governmental air transportation cost. Modern flow diagnostics applied to a very old aerodynamic problem has produced a number of intriguing new results and new insight into previous methodology and designs. Thus, any reductions in drag may on a craft provide savings.